What is the Thai attitude towards children with special needs?

[Frogmountain]

Compassionate? Superstitious? Somewhere in between? Anyone had first-hand experience with this?

[JHolmesJr]

It's a bit que sera sera if you ask me:

[dddave]

I had accumulated a lot of "Award" points at my local bank in Bangkok that could be exchanged for household items that I did not need. I asked the bank manager if there were any local children's homes that I could donate the points to. She located a nearby, privately run residential school for autistic children and contacted the director for me.

They very much needed fans as the facility was not air conditioned and were able to use the points to get 3 nice pedestal fans.

The director took me on a tour of the facility and I was impressed with what they were doing with little money. They had about 30-50 children who looked clean and healthy. Though some were clearly troubled and difficult to deal with, the staff seemed compassionate and understanding.

I was impressed with the schools dedication to these often marginalized kids and have given them my bank points several times since then.

[bangon04]

Difficult to shake the impression that many Thai kids who have to attend government schools in Thailand could become kids with special needs.....

[Boatfreak]

Setting up a Sailing school for Thai disabled- and special need youngster www.Sailingwithadifference.com the surrounding bureaucracy would give most enthusiast volunteers the shivers.

[Baerboxer]

On an individual basis, some people smile at my son, are friendly to him whilst other stare and a few make rude remarks that his wheel chair takes up too much space in the elevator or where ever.

Some places really cater for those with special needs. The staff at the Thai passport office were great, as were the security staff at the flea market near The Walk. Same at Asiatique. Special parking, help taking wheel chair out etc.

School - his school has a special class for children with special needs. Teachers are sent on regular courses. Thai disabled association that runs these has links to Aussie equivalent. The current HM and previous two have all been really good and proactive in this area. He receives a small monthly payment from the government and there is a rumor schooling will be free next year.

Health - children's hospital excellent. Other hospital that provides wheelchair, walkers, weights and special boots brilliant.

Overall pretty good, and about the same as we've encountered elsewhere, with the caveat less buildings, especially shops and restaurants, are disabled aware.

[dotpoom]

Shortly after meeting my now wife, I was disturbed to notice she showed little sympathy for handicapped people. I was told by a friend that that is common enough with Buddists, they believe in Karma and whether you have good fortune or bad fortune...it is what has been mapped out for you...or earned by past events if you like. So therefore, no jealousy or resentments....just an acceptance that it's what one deserves?

[dotpoom]

P.S. Myself I believe in Karma of my own making....nothing to do with my ancestors....and bad bad Karma can always be corrected by right actions. Good actions make for Good results....can be no other way...no matter how it appears at the time.

[mike324]

Thais as a whole are pretty compassionate when dealing or helping with special need. That's in the helping point of view, but when it comes to talking about it in conversation - their face expression tends to show some negativity towards it - not saying they dislike special needs, but there is a stigma attach to it.

As with any country, there are bound to be folks who stare, I feel like Asians tend to stare more than Westerners though.

[godden]

NOW THEN.

[chicowoodduck]

Well, according to the Father Ray Foundation, there are over 2,000 kids with Special Needs just in the Chonburi area alone. The local schools only provide limited services for these exceptional students and of course no full time help. Parents are not able to work full time and care for their children at the same time. The government only provides the very basic funding needs for this kids. The Father Ray Foundation hopes to fill the void with a new Special Needs center opening about mid year 2016, but is in need of on-going donations for equipment and facility running costs for this new center.

[MobileContent]

According to the villagers they say in the past life they had many misdeeds and thats why they are like sad and it sbetter to give money to the monk then to them. TIT

[Liquorice]

The SIL has a 15 year old boy with downs syndrome.

Thais can be compassionate or very suspicious and wary.

I suppose like every Country, how they react depends on how well they're educated about people with disabilities.

I often bump into a lady in the local Big C store who has an autistic child.

He usually wants some Candy that I fear Mum cannot afford, so I give him the candy and mum the money.

Now when he sees me, he runs across and we spend 10 minutes deciding on the Candy choice.

I think his mother is a little embarrassed and always refuses, I always insist.

What some of these autistic kids lack in certain areas they make up for in others.

[Craig krup]

I'm not trying to hijack the thread, but I thought someone reading it might know - are kids with one Thai and one European parent (let's face it, European father) less likely to have problems?

Steve Jones, the geneticist, said that humanity's genetic problems won't be solved by geneticists, they'll be solved by the 747 jet. You'd think that all the recessive genes would instantly become inactive with Thai/European genes. I mean, how far would a Brit have to go back to find a common ancestor with a girl from Isaan?

[catman20]

yes tolerance

[benalibina]

I had accumulated a lot of "Award" points at my local bank in Bangkok that could be exchanged for household items that I did not need. I asked the bank manager if there were any local children's homes that I could donate the points to. She located a nearby, privately run residential school for autistic children and contacted the director for me.

They very much needed fans as the facility was not air conditioned and were able to use the points to get 3 nice pedestal fans.

The director took me on a tour of the facility and I was impressed with what they were doing with little money. They had about 30-50 children who looked clean and healthy. Though some were clearly troubled and difficult to deal with, the staff seemed compassionate and understanding.

I was impressed with the schools dedication to these often marginalized kids and have given them my bank points several times since then.

Good man.

[Gecko123]

Far less social ostracism than in the West.

[dddave]

Setting up a Sailing school for Thai disabled- and special need youngster www.Sailingwithadifference.com the surrounding bureaucracy would give most enthusiast volunteers the shivers.

Go for it regardless of the bureaucracy you have to cut through!

My adult nephew slowly became functionally blind as a result of an accident. When he hit the point where he could no longer do activities he enjoyed, he became depressed and lethargic and admitted to contemplating suicide.

He lived in a coastal Massachusetts community and somehow got referred to a program similar to what you describe; sorry I forget the name.

He was reluctant at first but with a lot of positive encouragement, he was soon taking sailing lessons tailored for blind students. It wasn't long before he became passionate about the sport and began sailing in competitive races, even traveling to New Zealand for an international "Blind Regatta". He is now an instructor for the program and travels around the area recruiting new members.

The degree to which this program contributed to turning his life around can not be overstated. It gave him the confidence not only to sail "solo", but to accept and take on other challenges, enabling him to start his life again, learning in new ways to do things he had enjoyed in the past. His entire outlook turned around.

I wish you success in starting your own program. I have seen the impact that it can have....it will be, 100 times over, worth the effort.

[csabo]

I was with my daughter in the states one day when she was about four or five years old when someone wheeled by in a wheel chair. She looked the gentleman square in the eye and exclaimed "NICE BIKE!!". We all, including the disabled man had a good laugh.

The only special needs child I have encountered here is the 5 year old daughter of the caretaking staff of my bungalow group. She has Down's Syndrome and is by far the life of our little family here. Always helping out with chores and laughing and playing games with everyone. While the family is Burmese not Thai and I do not usually see her out in town so can not answer your question directly, I can say that her condition is the last thing anyone here sees when we interact with her.

This was a welcome thread. Nice to hear some positive experiences regarding those often forgotten.

[soihok]

My daughter is severely mentally disabled.

Most Thai people in the village know her and can be very helpful.

The general attitude is linked to "karma" , unfortunately.

There is no help from the government but if its government help we wanted we would move to the UK (she holds Thai and UK citizenship)

[jacky54]

Can anyone prove karma exists? it's a nonsense

[soihok]

It is a belief of the Buddhist religion.

[Craig krup]

Can anyone prove karma exists? it's a nonsense

Well, for God to become Man in Christ would (presumably) require that God-Man not to be able to walk on water and raise the dead. Men can't do that, so if you can then you know yourself not to be Man. This obvious incoherence doesn't, however, seem to trouble too many Christians.

[cyberfarang]

Give them to the grandparents or other relatives to care for them and avoid being on the scene as often as possible.

[soihok]

This is also normal practice with many children, whose parents have to work to make ends meet

So not a valid comment

[soihok]

In my daughters case, she did stay with her grandparents as we were working in Malaysia, not a place I consider safe or helpful where disabled children are involved.

However, we have moved back to Singapore which is in a different league to Malaysia and Thailand with regards to the disabled.

[soihok]

My disabled daughter is back with us as a family.